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THE ADVENTURES OF SEAMUS THE SHELTIE is about a real dog. The adventures in this book are based on actual events in his life, but with some embellishments. Seamus, a Shetland Sheepdog, is an incredibly intelligent dog who can understand about 65 human words. His name (pronounced "shay-mus") is Scottish and means "Little James." Over the years, the author often watched his dogs, and based on their behavior, tried to imagine what they were thinking and what they would say if they could. This eventually led over the years to telling stories that were loosely based on an actual event of that day but from the point of view of the dog. Sometimes the stories would lead to a more serious discussion or a life lesson that came from one of the many adventures of the dog. To make the Seamus stories more fun to read, the author added a language for the dog that was derived from the canine physical makeup, the intelligence and language of a young child, and a large dose of humorous imagination. The way that Seamus speaks in these stories is primarily due to two causes: his actual physical structure and his mental limitations. These physical and mental limitations would be true for all dogs. Where Seamus would excel compared to the other dogs would be his very high intellect and the exceptional ability of his breed to follow human voice commands. Seamus brings a new and entertaining context to life lessons that make them fresh and engaging for the readers of all ages. Humor is a key ingredient, and a happy ending to each story underscores the important moral or basic value relevant to each story in this book, setting the stage for wonderful discussions with a child.

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Seamus the Sheltie is a lovable pup that gets into all sorts of adventures. The stories are based on the real live dog, Seamus, and it follows him through every-day situations. Throughout the book Seamus gets into tangles with a possum, bonds with a baby squirrel, and even gets to go camping.

Each story comes with a great lesson and the author has provided talking points for each story. After the completion of a chapter, a quick flip to the appendix will give parents a great place to start to discuss the story with their children. The stories are very entertaining and cute, and both parents and children will be entertained.

Seamus speaks in a `Seamus speak,' shortening words, and sometimes using completely different words. The dialect is a little strange to get used to. Children might get confused during a reading, but if you take the time to explain it to them, they will look forward to hearing how Seamus speaks.

Heartwarming and educational, The Adventures of Seamus the Sheltie is a great family read.

I was impressed with the way this author utilized dialect in this book. His point-of-view from Seamus' perspective was fresh and authentic. Most authors shy away from dialect in an effort to be commercial, but Mr. Beverly doesn't seem to be concerned with just churning out a marketable product. His priorities are where an author's priorities should be--in being true to the story.This author does not flinch at difficult issues, such as prejudice and grief. Instead, Mr. Beverly captures the reader in such a way (through the art of story telling and the use of language) that he introduces these tough subjects by using Seamus's adventures as a soothing balm for the reader. I admire his courage, not only to address topics that most people find difficult, but I'm also in awe of the way he uses the animals to build an atmosphere of safety.I bought this book for myself, as well as my daughter (who is a teenager), and we continue to use it, even though we have read the stories several times.